[h=4]Eric Badia/New York Daily News[/h] A speedboat carrying the six hit an unknown object on the west side of the river. Three people were seriously hurt and another was knocked unconscious, sources said.
A joyride on the Hudson River turned horrific after a speedboat carrying a bride-to-be, her fiancé and his best man crashed into three construction barges Friday night, badly injuring four, and ejecting the bride and best man into the dark water of the Hudson.
WABC-TV identified the missing woman as 30-year-old Piermont resident Lindsey Stewart, whose wedding was only two weeks away.
The missing man was identified as her fiancé's best man, identified by a friend as Mark Lennon.
Coast Guard sources told the Daily News that the crash happened just north of the Tappan Zee Bridge Friday night after the 21-foot Stingray crashed into the barge around 10:30 p.m. Friday night.
Three people were seriously hurt and the fourth injured person was knocked unconscious, sources said. One person was knocked unconscious from the impact and another person broke their arm.
Stewart's fiancé, 35-year-old Brian Bond, was taken to Westchester Medical Center to be treated for a fractured eye socket. The ABC affiliate reports that he placed the 911 call after regaining consciousness.
Sources told the News that after the boat's driver was knocked unconscious, those left on the boat had limited knowledge of the area, adding to the night's chaos.
[h=4]ABC NEWS[/h] [h=4]Missing woman's mother, Carol Stewart. The Coast Guard says two people are missing after their boat struck a barge in the Hudson River near the Tappan Zee Bridge. [/h]
Officials said Saturday that they are now entering the recovery phase of their search for the two missing boaters, who are presumed dead.
"It's a recovery effort at this point," said Daniel Goswick, assistant chief of the Piermont Fire Department.
PHOTOS: CRANE DAMAGES BROOKLYN BRIDGE SCAFFOLDING
A source close to the investigation said alcohol is being looked at in the investigation, but the source would not say whether alcohol played a factor in the accident.
"They hit a barge that was, I believe, 200 feet south of the Tappan Zee Bridge," said William Barbera, chief of patrols for the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, adding that the vessel was “severely damaged.”
The Stingray had visible damage to the front end and port side and dried blood was visible on the boat's rear seats.
Rockland County undersheriff Robert VanCura said investigators believe the group of six – five men and one woman – left from Piermont and were headed across the river to Tarrytown.
[h=4]www.lohud.com[/h] [h=4]Four people were injured late Friday and two others are missing after a boat struck an unknown object on the west side of the Hudson River near the Tappan Zee Bridge. [/h]
VanCura said the barge that the boaters hit, which is approximately a half mile from shore, is part of the ongoing Tappan Zee bridge construction project.
"The barge we believe they struck were actually three barges that are tied together and they're part of the Tappan Zee Bridge construction project, they have building materials and pilings for the new bridge on the deck of the barges," VanCura said.
VanCura said that there is a marker light on the barge, but with the clear conditions last night, it could be difficult to identify the floating object.
"They do have some lighting on them but it was very dark out there last night and very difficult to see the barges in the water," VanCura said.
"There was a moon, but it was very difficult to see the barge last night," assistant fire chief Goswick added.
PHOTOS: BRIDGE COLLAPSE
VanCura said it appears that the two missing boaters were ejected from the Stingray motorboat when they struck the barge.
[h=4]www.lohud.com[/h] [h=4]The names of the missing pair and the four injured boaters were not immediately released. [/h]
"There were four people remaining on the boat when the boat was located, just south of the Tappan Zee Bridge," VanCura said. "They had various head injuries and one party was unconscious."
Officials said detectives are speaking to the survivors, but they wouldn't reveal what they told investigators.
Barbera said the massive search effort, which has resumed as of around 9:15 a.m., was carried out by Piermont police and fire, with the assistance of the NYPD, New York State Police, Yonkers Police and the Westchester County marine unit.
Barbera said they will continue with their concerted search efforts until the missing are found.
The Coast Guard's Staten Island station responded to the accident with help from members of the NYPD, New York State Police, Westchester Aviation Units, the Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Piermont and Nyack Fire Departments, and Westchester Marine, sources said.
Stewart and Bond's wedding registry shows a bride and groom with elegant taste – they had registered for champagne flutes, wooden salad sets and traditional Fiesta flatware in a rainbow of colors, from marigold to peacock. The bride also asked for a silver Vera Wang “With Love” frame.
The couple’s nuptials were scheduled for Aug. 10. A site detailing their wedding has since been taken down.
Piermont is located about 25 miles north of New York City.
With Denis Slattery
ON A MOBILE DEVICE? WATCH VIDEO HERE
[email protected]
A joyride on the Hudson River turned horrific after a speedboat carrying a bride-to-be, her fiancé and his best man crashed into three construction barges Friday night, badly injuring four, and ejecting the bride and best man into the dark water of the Hudson.
WABC-TV identified the missing woman as 30-year-old Piermont resident Lindsey Stewart, whose wedding was only two weeks away.
The missing man was identified as her fiancé's best man, identified by a friend as Mark Lennon.
Coast Guard sources told the Daily News that the crash happened just north of the Tappan Zee Bridge Friday night after the 21-foot Stingray crashed into the barge around 10:30 p.m. Friday night.
Three people were seriously hurt and the fourth injured person was knocked unconscious, sources said. One person was knocked unconscious from the impact and another person broke their arm.
Stewart's fiancé, 35-year-old Brian Bond, was taken to Westchester Medical Center to be treated for a fractured eye socket. The ABC affiliate reports that he placed the 911 call after regaining consciousness.
Sources told the News that after the boat's driver was knocked unconscious, those left on the boat had limited knowledge of the area, adding to the night's chaos.
Officials said Saturday that they are now entering the recovery phase of their search for the two missing boaters, who are presumed dead.
"It's a recovery effort at this point," said Daniel Goswick, assistant chief of the Piermont Fire Department.
PHOTOS: CRANE DAMAGES BROOKLYN BRIDGE SCAFFOLDING
A source close to the investigation said alcohol is being looked at in the investigation, but the source would not say whether alcohol played a factor in the accident.
"They hit a barge that was, I believe, 200 feet south of the Tappan Zee Bridge," said William Barbera, chief of patrols for the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, adding that the vessel was “severely damaged.”
The Stingray had visible damage to the front end and port side and dried blood was visible on the boat's rear seats.
Rockland County undersheriff Robert VanCura said investigators believe the group of six – five men and one woman – left from Piermont and were headed across the river to Tarrytown.
VanCura said the barge that the boaters hit, which is approximately a half mile from shore, is part of the ongoing Tappan Zee bridge construction project.
"The barge we believe they struck were actually three barges that are tied together and they're part of the Tappan Zee Bridge construction project, they have building materials and pilings for the new bridge on the deck of the barges," VanCura said.
VanCura said that there is a marker light on the barge, but with the clear conditions last night, it could be difficult to identify the floating object.
"They do have some lighting on them but it was very dark out there last night and very difficult to see the barges in the water," VanCura said.
"There was a moon, but it was very difficult to see the barge last night," assistant fire chief Goswick added.
PHOTOS: BRIDGE COLLAPSE
VanCura said it appears that the two missing boaters were ejected from the Stingray motorboat when they struck the barge.
"There were four people remaining on the boat when the boat was located, just south of the Tappan Zee Bridge," VanCura said. "They had various head injuries and one party was unconscious."
Officials said detectives are speaking to the survivors, but they wouldn't reveal what they told investigators.
Barbera said the massive search effort, which has resumed as of around 9:15 a.m., was carried out by Piermont police and fire, with the assistance of the NYPD, New York State Police, Yonkers Police and the Westchester County marine unit.
Barbera said they will continue with their concerted search efforts until the missing are found.
The Coast Guard's Staten Island station responded to the accident with help from members of the NYPD, New York State Police, Westchester Aviation Units, the Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Piermont and Nyack Fire Departments, and Westchester Marine, sources said.
Stewart and Bond's wedding registry shows a bride and groom with elegant taste – they had registered for champagne flutes, wooden salad sets and traditional Fiesta flatware in a rainbow of colors, from marigold to peacock. The bride also asked for a silver Vera Wang “With Love” frame.
The couple’s nuptials were scheduled for Aug. 10. A site detailing their wedding has since been taken down.
Piermont is located about 25 miles north of New York City.
With Denis Slattery
ON A MOBILE DEVICE? WATCH VIDEO HERE
[email protected]